Ocala man is thankful for regaining his smile

Dan Fairchild, shown with his wife Lynelle in their Ocala, Fla., home on Thursday November 15, 2012, recently got the ability to smile again. Dan had a brain tumor removed 17 years ago that effected his facial muscles. He recently had facial renimation surgery to correct this.

Alan Youngblood/Ocala Star-Banner

By Marian RizzoCorrespondent

Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 1:48 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 3:53 p.m.

After 17 years of having one side of his face paralyzed, Danny Fairchild will be especially thankful today for a brand new smile.

His new broad grin was made possible through facial reanimation surgery done by Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Ifeolumipo Sofola.

In 1994, Fairchild, of Ocala, was diagnosed with a benign, plum-size brain tumor. He had an operation to remove the tumor, but it left the right side of his face paralyzed. He also had hearing loss in his right ear, slurred speech and a drooping jaw that had him wondering how his appearance might affect people he met on the street.

An elementary school teacher at the time, Fairchild (now retired) was back in the classroom after only six weeks of rehabilitation. He wanted to see how the children would react to his condition.

"Kids are going to be honest," he said. "They asked, ‘What happened to your face?' So, when I went out in public, I was already indoctrinated. But, people I knew accepted me for who I was and not what I looked like. They could look through my appearance and see my heart."

The man whose endearing smile had first captured the attention of his wife, Lynelle, had resigned himself to never having that smile again. But things changed in April, when he and Lynelle made a 30th wedding anniversary trip to Houston, where they had met and married.

While there, they stopped to see their friend Lauren Olson, a physician assistant and owner of Radiance Advanced Skin & Body Care, a medical day spa in Woodlands, Texas.

Olson said she had kept in touch with the Fairchilds over the years.

"I knew that he had had the brain tumor, but I don't know that I realized the extent of his facial paralysis," she said. "He always had such a vibrant personality, and he has a smile for everyone, so when he walked into the spa that day, he still had a great smile, but on half of his face."

It was Olson who arranged a visit with Sofola, the spa's medical director and part owner of nearby Humble Hospital.

In a phone interview from Houston, Sofola said facial reanimation can cost as much as $20,000. He agreed to do Fairchild's operation at no charge as part of a program he founded called Faces of Honor, which arranges free facial reconstructive surgery for war veterans and underprivileged people in third-world countries.

"It was with this spirit of service to humanity that we stepped up to help Danny and to show people that there is actually an answer and something that can be done," Sofola said. "I am very excited any time I am able to make an impact on a patient's quality of life, especially in something that is so clearly apparent, like a smile."

Fairchild's surgery also created an opportunity for Ocala photographer Marc Rice, owner of Digital Fury, and his assistant, Cliff Craig, to film a promotional video for the spa and hospital. Their film about Fairchild can be viewed at www.woodlandsradiancespa.com.

Meanwhile, Lynelle Fairchild looks back on what she refers to as "a medical journey," which began with her husband's symptoms of numbness in his right jaw, constant headaches and a sense of imbalance. The surgery to remove the tumor took 13 hours. But Lynelle was not alone in the waiting room. Their minister, Colin Williamson, and members of Central Church of Christ, were by her side.

"We have such a great church family," she said. "Shands has a sign that allows only two people per patient. Thirty-eight people from our church were there with me that day."

The Fairchilds, who are parents of three children, continue to count their blessings. Their son Derek, who is serving in the U.S. Air Force at Fort Walton Beach, is expected home for Thanksgiving dinner. Their youngest child, Harrison, is a freshman at Ocala Christian Academy. And, their daughter, Hilary Gilbert, a registered nurse, was married in July, with her wedding sandwiched between her father's two reconstructive operations so he could walk her down the aisle.

Looking forward to Thanksgiving Day, Danny Fairchild talked about the things that got him through his ordeal.

"Probably, the first thing was my faith in God," he said. "My Mom did a wonderful job of teaching me that there was somebody more important than I was in this life. I'm grateful for modern medicine. Dr. Sofola is one of the few doctors that does facial reanimation. And, my family played a good part in it, too. I can't imagine where I'd be if I had to do it by myself."

<p>After 17 years of having one side of his face paralyzed, Danny Fairchild will be especially thankful today for a brand new smile.</p><p>His new broad grin was made possible through facial reanimation surgery done by Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Ifeolumipo Sofola.</p><p>In 1994, Fairchild, of Ocala, was diagnosed with a benign, plum-size brain tumor. He had an operation to remove the tumor, but it left the right side of his face paralyzed. He also had hearing loss in his right ear, slurred speech and a drooping jaw that had him wondering how his appearance might affect people he met on the street.</p><p>An elementary school teacher at the time, Fairchild (now retired) was back in the classroom after only six weeks of rehabilitation. He wanted to see how the children would react to his condition.</p><p>"Kids are going to be honest," he said. "They asked, 'What happened to your face?' So, when I went out in public, I was already indoctrinated. But, people I knew accepted me for who I was and not what I looked like. They could look through my appearance and see my heart."</p><p>The man whose endearing smile had first captured the attention of his wife, Lynelle, had resigned himself to never having that smile again. But things changed in April, when he and Lynelle made a 30th wedding anniversary trip to Houston, where they had met and married.</p><p>While there, they stopped to see their friend Lauren Olson, a physician assistant and owner of Radiance Advanced Skin & Body Care, a medical day spa in Woodlands, Texas.</p><p>Olson said she had kept in touch with the Fairchilds over the years.</p><p>"I knew that he had had the brain tumor, but I don't know that I realized the extent of his facial paralysis," she said. "He always had such a vibrant personality, and he has a smile for everyone, so when he walked into the spa that day, he still had a great smile, but on half of his face."</p><p>It was Olson who arranged a visit with Sofola, the spa's medical director and part owner of nearby Humble Hospital.</p><p>In a phone interview from Houston, Sofola said facial reanimation can cost as much as $20,000. He agreed to do Fairchild's operation at no charge as part of a program he founded called Faces of Honor, which arranges free facial reconstructive surgery for war veterans and underprivileged people in third-world countries.</p><p>"It was with this spirit of service to humanity that we stepped up to help Danny and to show people that there is actually an answer and something that can be done," Sofola said. "I am very excited any time I am able to make an impact on a patient's quality of life, especially in something that is so clearly apparent, like a smile."</p><p>Fairchild's surgery also created an opportunity for Ocala photographer Marc Rice, owner of Digital Fury, and his assistant, Cliff Craig, to film a promotional video for the spa and hospital. Their film about Fairchild can be viewed at www.woodlandsradiancespa.com.</p><p>Meanwhile, Lynelle Fairchild looks back on what she refers to as "a medical journey," which began with her husband's symptoms of numbness in his right jaw, constant headaches and a sense of imbalance. The surgery to remove the tumor took 13 hours. But Lynelle was not alone in the waiting room. Their minister, Colin Williamson, and members of Central Church of Christ, were by her side.</p><p>"We have such a great church family," she said. "Shands has a sign that allows only two people per patient. Thirty-eight people from our church were there with me that day."</p><p>The Fairchilds, who are parents of three children, continue to count their blessings. Their son Derek, who is serving in the U.S. Air Force at Fort Walton Beach, is expected home for Thanksgiving dinner. Their youngest child, Harrison, is a freshman at Ocala Christian Academy. And, their daughter, Hilary Gilbert, a registered nurse, was married in July, with her wedding sandwiched between her father's two reconstructive operations so he could walk her down the aisle.</p><p>Looking forward to Thanksgiving Day, Danny Fairchild talked about the things that got him through his ordeal.</p><p>"Probably, the first thing was my faith in God," he said. "My Mom did a wonderful job of teaching me that there was somebody more important than I was in this life. I'm grateful for modern medicine. Dr. Sofola is one of the few doctors that does facial reanimation. And, my family played a good part in it, too. I can't imagine where I'd be if I had to do it by myself."</p>